TEN LEGENDARY CLUB OWNERS FROM NYC’S NIGHTLIFE GOLDEN ERA by Michael Musto 15-7-2017 A nightclub without a fab owner and/or promoter is just a space with some people in it. The people that run the place and draw the crowds have to be magnetic, colorful, and professional enough that you’ll want to go to their events more than once — and they should considerably add to the party, not just sit at their registers, counting the cash. Here are some of the more memorable impresarios from the olden days of NYC nightlife: STEVE RUBELL The Brooklyn-born Rubell was the personality behind the legendary Studio 54, the ultimate ’70s disco, which he co-owned with spark and aplomb. The doorman was a snoot, but Rubell loved press, so he’d spot me in the outdoor throng, pull me in, and tell me which superstars were scheduled to show up that night. Rubell also co-owned the ’80s megaclub the Palladium, by which point he was still spunky, but in a somewhat mellower tone, having been through ups and downs (and prison for tax evasion). He died of AIDS in 1989, leaving a legacy of good-time thump-thumping ERIC GOODE The Rhode Island-born conservationist made a splash by joining with his brother and some other partners to open Area, the art-drenched ’80s club which changed its theme every five weeks, doing so with elaborate motifs and real artistic vision. Eric was always a lanky charmer, who seemed a little out of place in such a wild and woolly venue, but he brought heart and soul to it, going on to create B Bar and take over Bowery Hotel. RUDOLF PIPER The German club god helped bring us the legendary, multi-floor rock club Danceteria, about which he aptly said, “That place...